Themes by tag: Kyiv

For Vyshyvanka Day, one of the capital’s shopping malls together with SVARGA, Ukrainian embroidered clothing brand, and Zemliachky NGO initiated a charity photo exhibition “Embroidered Ukraine.” The official opening of the exhibition will take place on May 2. The event will include introductory speech from the organizers and participants of the photo project.

Defenders, paramedics, veterans, and military volunteers took part in the project. The women dressed in embroidered shirts from the “Embroidered Ukraine” collection, which includes ornaments from all regions of Ukraine and the Autonomous Republic of Crimea.

The goal of the project is to once again remind that there is no eastern and western Ukraine, there is only one whole and unified country, as well as to emphasize that regardless of whether we are at the front lines or in the rear, this is our joint struggle for freedom.

Each photo has a QR code with the account of Zemliachky NGO. All funds raised during the exhibition will be directed to sewing women’s tactical uniforms for the military.

The exhibition project will last up until May 16.

• culture
• Kyiv

Next week, a press event will be organized for media representatives to raise awareness of the operation of the temporary waste sorting site in Bucha, Kyiv region. This project is focused on the disposal of waste from destroyed objects that had piled up after the occupation of the Bucha community. (The volume of construction waste is 75,000 m3).

Almost all the equipment for the operation of the temporary waste sorting station was provided by UNDP Ukraine. Currently, there is a construction waste sorting machine, a crusher, a screener and a front-end loader. Later, the site will be equipped with additional equipment. The unique project will make it possible to grind and sort waste by type, and later use it for the needs of the community.

Journalists have the opportunity to learn more about the upcoming press event.

For reference: Bucha, Kyiv region, was under enemy occupation for more than a month. On March 31, 2022, the city was liberated from the russian military.

• ecology
• occupation
• reconstruction
• Kyiv

Alona Kyryliuk is from Kharkiv region, and she currently lives in Poltava region. She is the mother of two children: 11-year-old Anastasiia and Timur, who is only one year old. The woman is a military officer.

Alona’s husband, Denys, is a lieutenant colonel, a fighter pilot (Deputy Squadron Commander, Squadron Flight Navigator). The man was called to duty on the night of February 23-24, 2022. He asked his wife to stay at home with the daughter. Later, Alona heard the first explosions.

Denis flew over 80 sorties. He was awarded the Order “For Courage” of the third class, as well as the “Firearms” award of the Ministry of Defense. The man died on March 27, 2023 while performing a combat mission. The enemy shot down his plane over Chernihiv region. The pilot was taking the plane away from a settlement and did not have time to eject.

By prior agreement, journalists can talk to Alona Kyryliuk in Poltava region or in Kyiv.

For reference: Currently, the family is being cared for by the Children of Heroes Charity Fund. It helps children who lost one or both parents as a result of russia’s full-scale invasion. The fund provides financial assistance, psychological and legal support, and helps with the education and development of children until they reach adulthood.

• children
• dead
• military
• women
• Kyiv
• Poltava

The Center for Civil Liberties invites journalists and concerned citizens to the presentation of “How to Make Shelters Accessible?” report by the second National Shelter Monitoring Campaign, which will be held in Kyiv on April 30.

The OZON public monitoring group of the Center for Civil Liberties held a second campaign to monitor the availability and basic quality of civil protection structures from September to December 2023. More than a hundred volunteers worked on the campaign in the following cities: Kyiv, Lutsk, Lviv, Cherkasy, Mykolaiv and Odesa. During the presentation, they will specify which city has the best shelters and which one has the worst. For example, volunteers managed to access only half (53%) of the capital’s shelters.

The presentation will be followed by a discussion on how to make shelters accessible, what central and local authorities can do, and what changes are required at the legislative level. The participants of the discussion will include:

• Oleksandr Kamyshin, Minister for Strategic Industries of Ukraine
• Roman Tkachuk, Director of the Municipal Security Department of the Kyiv City State Administration
• Uliana Pcholkina, public figure and consultant on barrier-free environment
• Ivanna Malchevska, Project Manager at the OZON public monitoring group of the Center for Civil Liberties.

• Kyiv

On April 28, the Octave of My Life dance and theater performance by Kseniia Huz from Mariupol will take place in Kyiv. In it, the woman will talk about what she was forced to go through during the full-scale war: occupation, forced relocation, her husband’s death at the front, the struggle with oncology and depression.

Before the full-scale war, Kseniia Huz together with her husband Maksym had opened “Art House” creative space and “Urban Buddha” space for spiritual communication in Mariupol, where visitors had actively participated in self-development and creative activities. Maksym had conducted yoga, meditation, and spiritual practices classes. And Kseniia (Head of an event agency) organized various events, performances, cocoa ceremonies, poetry battles and master classes for children.

The woman and her 18-year-old daughter were at home when the full-scale invasion started. They had to survive in encircled Mariupol for 20 days. Despite running out of food, they shared it with others. In the end, they managed to leave the city.

When the big war started, Maksym was in Kyiv region, where he had come on a business trip. The man immediately joined the territorial defense. In November 2022, he joined the ranks of the Ukrainian Armed Forces (airborne assault troops). On February 13, 2023, he died near Bakhmut.

Maksym wanted his ashes to be scattered over the Sea of Azov, but since this is impossible now, Kseniia scattered her husband’s ashes over the Dnipro in Kyiv. Three months later, the woman was diagnosed with cancer. She underwent a successful operation in Belgium.

Journalists have the opportunity to talk with Kseniia in Kyiv.

• casualties
• dead
• occupation
• women
• Kyiv
• Mariupol

Growing up in Chernivtsi, Pavlo Honcharuk never imagined himself leading yoga marathons and raising millions for the Defense Forces. However, a life-altering illness at 18 propelled him into the world of yoga, where he found solace and purpose. In 2020 upon mastering the art of yoga, Pavlo relocated to the capital, where he quickly amassed a following, filling yoga studios with eager enthusiasts. 

But when full-blown war broke out, he didn’t hesitate to pivot his passion toward a greater cause. Offering free classes to all, Pavlo initiated a yoga support marathon, rallying people from all walks of life to join in, even amidst alarms and explosions. A prerequisite for participation was a donation to the army. In just a matter of weeks, this remarkable individual spearheaded a fundraising effort that yielded the first million hryvnias to support our Armed Forces. A captivating video showcasing Pavlo’s dedication to yoga, set against the backdrop of air defense systems, quickly gained traction on Instagram, going viral. Meanwhile, 700 additional participants joined him online, many of them kept on exercising as they sought refuge in shelters taking their mats with them. 

Pavlo also dedicates himself to rehabilitating soldiers, offering free yoga sessions to aid in their recovery. And now, he’s set his sights on joining the army himself.

Journalists are welcome to interview Pavlo in Kyiv. 

• Kyiv

On April 27, the “Strong 300” fun run obstacle course will be held in Kyiv to support war veterans, wounded soldiers and facilitate patriotic education of youth.

The purpose of the event is to popularize the benefits of sports and give children the opportunity to communicate directly with those who went through combat at the front via the unique “veteran + child” race format. It is also supposed to have a therapeutic effect on veterans and wounded soldiers.

Categories and distances:

• Individual race for adults/children, 1 km;
• Individual race for adults/children, 5 km;
• Pair race for adult + child, 3 km.

Each of the registered participants will receive a “STRONG 300” commemorative medal. To participate in the race, it is necessary to pay a charity contribution, the collected funds will be used to purchase sports equipment for the rehabilitation of wounded soldiers and veterans.

Various activities are also planned during the event (artifacts of war exhibition, disassembly/assembly of various types of (dummy) weapons, master classes on tactical medicine basics, etc.).

• casualties
• children
• military
• psychological support
• Kyiv

On March 22, 2022, near Izyum in the Kharkiv region, russian forces shot down an SU-24M plane piloted by Oleksii Kovalenko and navigator Serhii Verbytskyi. While Verbytskyi managed to survive and reach an evacuation point, he remained unaware of his partner’s fate. Major Kovalenko was initially considered missing due to the russian occupation of the area. It wasn’t until the liberation of the Kharkiv region that it was confirmed Kovalenko had been killed, allowing his family closure. In 2023, both Serhii Verbytskyi and Oleksii Kovalenko were posthumously awarded the title of Hero of Ukraine.

In October 2022, the Museum of War spearheaded an expedition into the reclaimed territories of the Kharkiv region, aiming to gather artifacts and immortalize russia’s atrocities in Ukraine. Among the items collected were fuel tanks, flight instruments, and a parachute from the downed plane, along with personal effects donated by Oleksii Kovalenko’s family. Retrieving the wreckage initially seemed improbable.

However, this year, Viacheslav Skoriak, an officer of the 10th Army Corps, in collaboration with the Come Back Alive Foundation, orchestrated the transfer of the legendary Su-24M bomber to the Museum. The aircraft is now prominently showcased at the Memorial Complex.

Journalists are invited to witness the plane wreckage and other recovered war relics, access expedition photos, and engage in discussions with its participants.

• russian crimes
• Kyiv

In the early days of the all-out war, russian forces seized control of Krasiatychi village in the Kyiv region, where Nadiia Smyrnova resided. Nadiia, alongside her mother and 9-year-old son Sashko, remained in the village. The invaders ransacked their home, even attempting to detonate a grenade, putting the family’s lives at risk. Sashko’s grandmother bravely intervened, shielding her loved ones from harm, despite facing the barrel of russian machine guns. Surviving nearly a month under occupation, the ordeal left a lasting impact on Sashko, who vividly recalls the harrowing experiences shared with his mother and grandmother.

At the onset of the full-blown war, Sashko’s father voluntarily served in defense of Ukraine. Tragically, on August 29, 2022, he fell victim to a russian mine in the Donetsk region. Now, the family receives support from the Children of Heroes charity foundation. 

Journalists seeking to interview Nadiia in the Kyiv region must arrange it in advance. 

For reference: As of April 2, 2022, the Kyiv region has been completely liberated from russian occupation. 

Children of Heroes Charity Fund aids youngsters who’ve lost one or both parents due to russia’s large-scale invasion, offering financial aid, psychological and legal assistance, and fostering their educational and personal growth until adulthood.

• casualties
• children
• dead
• occupation
• russian crimes
• women
• Kyiv

The Strongman Federation of Ukraine invites media representatives to “Kyiv Unbreakable” sports and wellness event for war veterans, which will be held in Kyiv on April 28. For security reasons, the venue for the event will be announced later.

The event is to feature the following events: bench press for 3 reps max, strongman/invastrong competition, rowing on the “Concept-2” exercise machine, archery.

The primary objective of the event is to enhance patriotic spirit within society by engaging military personnel, security force representatives, veterans with injuries, and their family members in sports activities.

Journalists are required to register for the event.

For reference: The event is organized by the Strongman Federation of Ukraine and the Department of Youth and Sports of the Kyiv City State Administration.

• Kyiv